Nigeria’s president has called for the UN to mediate with militant Islamist group Boko Haram to secure the release of schoolgirls it is holding captive, according to a BBC report.

Muhammadu Buhari said he was prepared to swap militants who are in custody for the girls.

The more than 200 girls were seized during a raid on a school in the north-eastern town of Chibok in 2014.

Previous efforts by neighbouring Chad to broker a deal with Boko Haram to secure the girls’ release failed.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual UN General Assembly meeting in New York, Mr Buhari said that splits within the ranks of Boko Haram, which is affiliated to the Islamic State (IS) group, made it difficult to hold talks with them.

“Government had reached out, ready to negotiate, but it became difficult to identify credible leaders. We will welcome intermediaries such as UN outfits, to step in,” Mr Buhari said.